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Heading to Arizona to catch the Fire play FC Tucson this weekend? Following the match (set for 1:00pm Mountain Time), the club is hosting a Happy Hour for Fire supporters in the hotel bar at the Desert Diamond Casino (7350 S. Nogales Hwy; Tucson) from 5:30-7:30pm MT.

Fire Head Coach & Director of Soccer Frank Yallop as well as Technical Director Brian Bliss will be on hand for the event, the first few drinks are on us and appetizers will be provided.

As someone that's taken in Section 8 Chicago trips to Montreal, Toronto, Kansas City, Columbus, Philadelphia, New York and in a month, Portland, I've come to appreciate the character and drive that is inherent in a traveling supporter's blood as they lend their voice to help the Fire on the road.

And while it's amazing to see so many take air trips, bus rides or insanely long travels in a stuffy van for a regular season match, I've also come to appreciate some of the faces I see every year in preseason.

At this point, if you're not understanding the Sorkinese I'm throwing at you, please meet Ray Cook, the Chicago Fire's very own version of Josh Lyman (more in the sports fan sense).

Ray traveled to Tucson via Amtrak from Chicago and even beat the team here (arriving Friday). I've seen Ray each of the last four preseasons (usually in Charleston, S.C.) but as he says, his tradition of making it out prior to the start of every campaign dates back to 2000 and has taken him to such places as Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., Jackson, Miss., New Orleans and Guadalajara, Mexico.

This is why he does it...

You'd have to say with all the snow in Chicago last night (and this winter), he's looking pretty smart.

Mike Magee has racked up the accolades the last year. MLS MVP, Best XI, Team MVP and surely a few other awards were garnered during his stunning 2013 campaign. The last honor he received before heading into the 2014 season was Fire Player of the Year at Monday night's 26th annual Comcast SportsNet Awards, benefiting the March of Dimes.

Mike jokingly thanked the children's charity for helping him get out of "preseason boot camp in Florida" but also for the great work they do with kids saying, "any charity dedicated to children is brilliant".

He also made special mention of Naperville native and Paralympic athlete Alyssa Gialamas who earned the night's "Inspirational Athlete Award". Of her he said, "she's definitely the best athlete in the room."

While Fire Strength and Conditioning Coach Tony Jouaux took the team through their warmups during the afternoon session, Mathis, Flores and Yallop colluded to play a prank on myself and Fire Press Officer Eunice Kim.

If you would have told 15-year-old Jeff Crandall that one day Clint Mathis would be punking him on camera, he wouldn't have believed you...

Today’s Numbers Game features a switch as second-year Fire midfielder Dilly Duka will now wear the #11. Acquired from Columbus this time last year in exchange for Dominic Oduro, the pair took each other’s numbers when they got to their new clubs (Duka taking 8, Oduro taking 11 in Columbus).

This year, with the Crew’s #8 shirt vacant, Oduro has switched back to his regular number while Duka completes the swap. Coincidentally, #11 became available at the Fire when the team traded Daniel Paladini to Columbus back in December.

“Number 11 is what I’ve worn going back to youth soccer,” Duka said. “It’s what I’m familiar with, it’s part of me as a player.”

Meanwhile, fresh off scoring the game-winner in Sunday’s friendly vs. Florida Gulf Coast Univesity, Giuseppe Gentile becomes the first player in Fire history to wear #92.

The dual Swiss-American citizen, who also happens to speak four languages and also shares a name with an Olympic triple jumper, went the Kellen Gulley route in choosing his number according to the year he was born, 1992.

So with that, we have two trivia questions for today…

1) Dilly Duka becomes the eighth player in Fire history to wear the #11 shirt, name the other seven.

2) What four languages to Giuseppe Gentile speak? We’ll give you a freebie: English.

The Numbers Game rolls on Tuesday with the latest contestants being the center back duo of Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni, who were recently acquired from the Seattle Sounders in a trade that sent Jalil Anibaba the other way.

Let’s start with the Hurtado. The 29-year-old center back will continue to don the same #34 he wore for five seasons in Cascadia. Asked why he’s chosen a somewhat “off the beaten path” soccer number, Hurtado explained 34 was the number he was given when trialing with AC Milan in early 2009.

“The opportunity was a special one and it’s stayed with me ever since,” he told Chicago-Fire.com last week.

Though 34 isn’t the most common soccer number, two Fire players have worn it before. Former Trinidad & Tobago international Osei Telesford was the club’s #34 in 2007 while Austin Washington wore it from 2008-2009.

Meanwhile, Ianni has chosen to suit up wearing the #6 for the Fire this season. Interestingly, Ianni and Anibaba weren’t just in part swapped for each other but they’ve also taken one another’s number at their new club as the former Fire defender will suit up as Seattle’s #4 this season.

Asked about the choice of #6, Ianni said, “I just wanted a lower, defender’s number,” but the only two digits that fit the criteria for the Fire were #2 and #6.

Althought the #2 is free for anyone to choose, Ianni says he took into account the legacy of assistant coach C.J. Brown’s 13 years wearing #2 for the Men in Red and the fact that it’s only been worn one other time for 27 minutes by another Fire player (Wells Thompson in 2012).

In the end, the choice was simple.

“I have a ton of respect for what C.J. did here wearing that number and what that means to Fire supporters. The six shirt suits me just fine.”

QUESTION:Ianni becomes the ninth player in Fire history to wear #6 for the Men in Red. How many of the other eight can you name? (SCROLL BELOW FOR THE ANSWER).